Many vehicle washing compositions include hydrofluoric acid as a cleaning and polishing agent. Hydrofluoric acid works well for cleaning and polishing aluminum. Cleaning compositions containing hydrofluoric acid are used in commercial automobile and/or truck washing facilities. The presence of hydrofluoric acid in a cleaning composition presents a health hazard.
A composition for use on aluminum, which includes hydrofluoric acid, is described by U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,254 to Mori. Cleaning compositions for use on aluminum which have been developed as replacements for compositions containing hydrofluoric acid are described by U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,399 to Meguro, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,425 to Aoki, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,295 to Aoki, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,484 to Rodzewich; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,293 to Shimakura, et al.